Attorney Lilit Gevorgyan represents people injured throughout Los Angeles County, including people with severe burns. The first conversation with the firm is free and confidential. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
The firm’s office is in Glendale. Consultations with the firm are available by phone or video. Severe burns are among the injuries that the firm’s catastrophic injury practice describes. The firm also has a page on what counts as a catastrophic injury. This page covers burn injuries caused by private persons and businesses. Claims against a city, a county, or another government agency, including a city-owned utility, follow different rules and are outside this page.
Burn injuries
MedlinePlus describes superficial burns, formerly known as first-degree burns, as burns that affect only the outer layer of the skin. It says superficial burns cause pain, redness, and swelling.
MedlinePlus describes partial-thickness burns, formerly known as second-degree burns, as burns that affect both the outer and underlying layer of skin. It says they cause pain, redness, swelling, and blistering.
MedlinePlus describes full-thickness burns, formerly known as third-degree burns, as burns that affect the deep layers of skin. It says they cause white or blackened, burned skin. It says the skin may be numb.
MedlinePlus says major burns need urgent medical care. It says this can help prevent scarring, disability, and deformity. It also says burns can leave permanent scars.
Product and vehicle recalls
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission publishes recalls and product safety warnings on its recalls page. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states on its recalls page that searching by license plate or VIN shows if a specific vehicle needs to be repaired as part of a recall.
Fires and fire reports in Los Angeles
The LAFD Records Unit processes requests for fire incident reports, subpoenas, personal appearances, and public records. The same LAFD page says that Arson Investigation Reports may only be released once the case is closed and approved for release by the Arson Counter Terrorism Section.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Subpoena and Records page says to download and complete the “Information Request Form” to request Department records, namely patient care records or incident reports. The LAFD’s arson investigator page describes the duties of an arson investigator as “Investigate fire scenes to determine origin and cause.”
Fires and utility equipment
The California Public Utilities Commission’s Safety and Enforcement Division conducts staff investigations of wildfires involved with electric investor-owned utility equipment to assess utility compliance with applicable rules and regulations. The same CPUC page says that when one of those utilities reports an electric incident potentially associated with a wildfire, CPUC staff perform site visits and collect data to assess if the utility violated any Commission or state rules and regulations. The page states, “Staff do not determine the cause of the fire.”
Filing periods
For a claim against a private person or company, Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 generally allows two years from an injury “caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another.”
Deadlines can depend on your situation and on who the claim is against. Consult an attorney.
How the firm helps
- Investigation of what happened and who is responsible, built from fire reports and other records.
- Communication with the responsible parties and insurers so that you are not handling it alone.
- Representation in the firm’s practice areas of personal injury, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death.
Personal injury matters are handled on a contingency-fee basis, and legal fees are a percentage of any recovery rather than an hourly bill. Costs and expenses may apply. The details are set out in a written engagement agreement before any representation begins. Every case is different, and results depend on the facts of each case.
See also: Wildfire Injury Claims in California.
Request a free consultation or call (310) 900-9300. Consultations and representation are available in English, Spanish, Russian, and Armenian.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file after a burn injury?
For a claim against a private person or company, Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 generally allows two years from an injury "caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another." Deadlines can depend on your situation and on who the claim is against. Consult an attorney.
How do I get a fire report in Los Angeles?
The Los Angeles Fire Department says to submit a request for a fire incident report electronically at the LAFD Fire Records Request Portal. The Los Angeles County Fire Department says the date, location and approximate time of the incident must be provided at a minimum.
Where is your office?
The firm's office is at 655 North Central Avenue, Suite 1700 in Glendale. The firm represents people injured throughout Los Angeles County, and consultations are available by phone or video.
